Key Takeaways:
- Donald Trump hosted the Kennedy Center Honors, a prestigious awards ceremony recognizing lifetime achievement in the performing arts, for the first time in his presidency.
- The event was marked by a lack of diversity in the audience and a focus on late 20th-century culture, with honorees including Sylvester Stallone, Michael Crawford, George Strait, Gloria Gaynor, and the rock band Kiss.
- Trump’s hosting duties included a 20-minute walk down the red carpet, three speeches, and pre-recorded videos introducing the honorees.
- The event was seen as an opportunity for Trump to dominate America’s cultural space and insert himself into a traditionally non-partisan ceremony.
- The honorees avoided taking sides in the political debate, with some emphasizing the importance of keeping politics out of the arts.
Introduction to the Event
The Kennedy Center Honors, a ceremony that recognizes lifetime achievement in the performing arts, took a dramatic turn this year with Donald Trump as its host. The event, which was held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, was attended by a crowd that was noticeably less diverse than in previous years. Trump, who had stayed away from the center during his first term, has made it a focal point of his attack on what he calls "woke" anti-American culture since his return to office in January. As he took the stage, Trump claimed that his show was getting "rave reviews" even before it ended, and he guaranteed that it would get big ratings.
The Hosting Duties
Trump’s duties as host included a 20-minute walk down the red carpet with his wife, Melania Trump, where he fielded questions from reporters. He also gave three speeches from the opera house stage and introduced the honorees through pre-recorded videos from the Oval Office. The videos were played on a big screen, and Trump said he was deeply involved in choosing the recipients, with about 50 names whittled down to five. The show reflected Trump’s nostalgia for late 20th-century culture, with a focus on the actor Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky, Michael Crawford’s performance in The Phantom of the Opera, George Strait’s emergence as a country star, disco singer Gloria Gaynor’s hit single I Will Survive, and rock band Kiss’s live album Alive!
The Honorees and Their Tributes
The night started with Trump entering to the Rocky theme music, and the audience responded with cheers, applause, and cries of "We love you!" The honorees were celebrated with tributes from other celebrities, including Kurt Russell, who paid tribute to Stallone, and Vince Gill, Miranda Lambert, and Brooks & Dunn, who sang selections in Strait’s honor. Gaynor was celebrated with a version of her signature song, complete with disco lights around the theatre, and Kiss was honored with a rousing rendition of Shout it Out Loud and a closing performance of Rock and Roll All Nite by Cheap Trick. The honorees themselves were careful to avoid taking sides in the political debate, with Crawford saying, "I’m nonpolitical. I’ve just been invited to be here and I’m here… We work for an audience. We don’t know who they are. We don’t know what color they are, how tall they are, how short they are, what they believe in or what they don’t."
Trump’s Impact on the Kennedy Center
Trump’s impact on the Kennedy Center has been significant, with the center’s new president, Ric Grenell, overseeing a multimillion-dollar renovation and revamping the organization’s events. Grenell, who once served as Trump’s ambassador to Germany, has been marked by staff turnover and discontent in the arts community about the center’s direction, leading to reports of a decline in ticket sales. Trump’s hosting of the Kennedy Center Honors was seen as an opportunity for him to dominate America’s cultural space and insert himself into a traditionally non-partisan ceremony. As he said, "This is the greatest evening in the history of the Kennedy Center – not even a contest."
The Audience and the Ceremony
The audience at the Kennedy Center Honors was noticeably less diverse than in previous years, with Democrats scarce and Republicans and Trump supporters prominent. The ceremony itself was marked by a lack of criticism of Trump, with the honorees and attendees avoiding any negative comments about the president. Instead, they focused on the importance of celebrating the arts and the achievements of the honorees. As Gene Simmons of Kiss said, "Whether you’re a fan of the president or not, he’s never boring. The worst thing is to have some bloated person get up there and make long speeches. No matter what he does, this president’s going to be entertaining."
Conclusion
The Kennedy Center Honors, hosted by Donald Trump, was a significant event that marked a turning point in the president’s efforts to dominate America’s cultural space. The ceremony, which honored some of the biggest names in the performing arts, was marked by a lack of diversity and a focus on late 20th-century culture. Trump’s hosting duties were seen as an opportunity for him to insert himself into a traditionally non-partisan ceremony, and his impact on the Kennedy Center has been significant. As the honorees and attendees avoided taking sides in the political debate, they emphasized the importance of celebrating the arts and the achievements of the honorees. The event will air on the CBS television network on December 23, and it will be interesting to see how it is received by the public.
